While primarily a desktop, it has a button, which will allow it to switch into Android mode. It also features a jumbo multi-touch display and finger-oil resistant coating to make your huge new tablet slightly less disgusting.

Aside from the AiO, ASUSTek also was showing off the "TAICHI". Named after the ancient Chinese martial art, which promotes flexibility and circulation, the new laptop-cum-tablet is an exercise in extravagance. Rather than resorting to a fancy swivel latch à la the Lenovo Group Ltd.'s (HKG:0992) Yoga, ASUSTek simply puts a screen on the back of the laptop lid and calls it a day.

ASUSTek TAICHI dual-wields LCD touchscreens

This dual-screen-wielding laplet will be available in 11.6-inch and 13.3-inch flavors. Each will feature an Intel Corp. (INTC) Ivy Bridge Core i7 processor (quad-cores), 4 GB of DRAM, an SSD, dual-cameras, USB 3.0 (x2), mini-DVI, mini-VGA, 802.11n, and a backlit keyboard. The device is quite slender, about as thick as a ZenBook.

ASUSTek's screen weighs in at 1920x1080 pixels and is of the FHD/Super-IPS+ variety.

Sadly no pricing is available on the pair of TAICHI, like the Transformer AiO.

Towards that end it will be launching Transformer Prime laplets of sizes 11.6-, 13-, and 14-inches, base on Intel Core (Ivy Bridge) processors. The units reportedly also feature discrete graphics, although it's unclear whether this will reside in the detachable lid or in the keyboard base. There are digital cameras in the front and back (like the TAICHI) and 4 GB of DRAM. Users can pick between SSDs and traditional hard-drives for this model line.

The Transformer Book looks somewhat like a MacBook Pro but packs a touch surprise.

These Transformer Books were shown running Windows 8, though it's possible Android dual-boot could be in the works.

IV. Tablet 600 Pairs Windows 8 and Tegra

ASUSTek's latest (but perhaps not final) Windows 8 themed announcement was the Tablet 600. Similar to the Transformer models in layout, the Tablet 600 runs Windows 8 RT with a Tegra 3 quad-core ARM CPU from NVIDIA Corp. (NVDA). The 10.1 inch screen disappoints slightly with a 1366x768 pixel resolution, but this hybrid looks otherwise solid with 2 GB of DRAM and an 8 megapixel camera.

Tablet 600 running Windows 8 RT [Image Source: The Verge]

Pricing has not been announced.

If there's one thing clear from all these product announcements and new products from rivals like Acer, Inc. (TPE:2353) it's that top manufacturers appear sold on Microsoft Corp.'s (MSFT) new vision of laptop convertibles. Of course that's also a vision championed by Android-maker Google, Inc. (GOOG) (to the chagrin of Apple). However, it appears that in terms of hybrids Microsoft is gaining the upper hand, with Windows 8 and its slick Metro UI dominating in the new product shown, with Android being relegated to dual boot and a handful of new designs.

I've liked Asus for many years now, only use their Mobo now in my rigs, very nice build quality, never had a problem with them. Their Transformer (orig) is very nice, I like the look of the TaiChi too, may need to get one :)